News

June 3, 2015

In a recent project, an NREL research team, led by Jianping Yu, improved ethylene productivity so that up to 10% of photosynthetically fixed carbons become ethylene—with one unexpected, yet welcome, surprise. While cellular metabolism was expected to change, possibly inhibiting growth due to significant and continuous loss of carbon, growth seems to be unaffected.

March 19, 2015

In the search for abundant and sustainable options to petroleum-derived fuels, biofuels stand out as a promising alternative. An NREL study is determining which biomass-derived oxygenates are most commercially feasible in drop-in fuels that are compatible with existing engines and fuel distribution.

February 26, 2015

A new study from the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) demonstrates the conversion of lignin-derived compounds to adipic acid, an important industrial dicarboxylic acid produced for its use as a precursor to nylon, plasticizers, lubricants, polyesters, and other popular products and chemicals.